On Tajikistan: state repression against the independent media

B90085/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on Tajikistan: state repression against the independent media

(2024/2506(RSP))

The European Parliament,

 having regard to its previous resolutions on Tajikistan,

 having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas after three decades in power, the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, has established himself as an absolute ruler with no tolerance for dissent and is leading efforts to silence political opponents, human rights defenders, independent voices and independent media in Tajikistan are being suppressed through state repression,

B.whereas, according to independent voices, the media landscape in Tajikistan is in its "worst state” since country gained independence in 1991;

C.whereas since authorities banned the country’s main opposition party in 2015, numerous opposition politician have been imprisoned and key independent media have been forced into closure and “dozens” of journalists have chosen exile,

D.whereas only two significant independent media voices now remain in Tajikistan: privately owned news agency “Asia-Plus” and , “Radio Ozodi” - the Tajik Service of “Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s” ; whereas both regularly face harassment, threats and their websites have long been subjected to partial shutdowns by local internet service providers; whereas other media in fear of oppression from tax authorities or law enforcement agencies outlets, either avoid political topics entirely, impose self-censorship or barely function due to a lack of funding;

E.whereas Tajik independent media’s biggest problem is finances, as for years they have been reliant on international donors, the support of which in recent years has significantly declined,

F.whereas the crackdown on journalists has intensified after brutal suppression of protests in the eastern Badakhshan Mountainous Autonomous Region (GBAO) in May-June 2022; whereas GBAO is the only region in Tajikistan where there is not a single journalist representing the very few independent media,

G.whereas since October 2022, the Tajik authorities have sentenced journalists Khurshed Fozilov, Abdullo Ghurbati, Daler Imomali, Zavqibek Saidamini, Abdusattor Pirmuhammadzoda, Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, and Khushruz Jumayev to between seven and 20 years in prison in retaliation for their work,

1.Demands that the government take immediate and effective measures to ensure the safety and protection of opposition politicians and journalists, both physically and legally, and investigate all acts of violence and intimidation against them and release all journalists and opposition politicians from prison and investigate all the cases of violence against them

2.Reminds Tajikistan of its obligations under international law and urges the government to comply with and uphold these standards, in particular those relating to freedom of expression and media freedom,

3.Calls on international organisations to monitor closely the situation in Tajikistan, to investigate human rights violations and to report regularly on the state of press freedom in the country;

4.Encourages the EU to give its full support to the independent media in Tajikistan in order to strengthen their ability to resist repression,

5.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the European External Action Service, the HRVP, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the President, Government and Parliament of Tajikistan.